The Global Goals, agreed by the international community in 2015, commit us to achieving health for all. This involves ending the HIV, TB and malaria epidemics by 2030. But progress has been insufficient, and the diseases continue to kill millions of people each year.
UK aid contributes significantly to combating these and other public health threats around the world, and helps countries progress towards providing universal health coverage for their populations.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria is one of a number of vital global health institutions which help us toward the goal of health for all. It is the biggest external funding source for the fight against the three diseases, helping to save 27 million lives since 2002. It strengthens countries’ health systems and reaches the most marginalised groups. But its current funding runs out this year, and at least $14 billion is needed for the next three years.
Donors including the UK must make bold financial commitments to the Global Fund to prevent us slipping back in the fight against the three diseases. Alongside our commitments to other global health funds, the UK’s pledge will play a critical part in achieving health for all, brick by brick.
Please ask new Secretary of State Rory Stewart to invest £1.4 billion in the Global Fund to maintain the UK’s contribution to the fight against the three diseases.